


My Life After

by Brightershadows



Category: Fairy Tail, Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: After female titan, Angst, F/M, Humor, M/M, Major character death - Freeform, Nalu - Freeform, Sad Lucy, Spoilers, Tragedy, Zeref - Freeform, crossover!!, eren & Levi fluff, happyish ending, no lemon, unexpected ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-30
Updated: 2015-01-18
Packaged: 2018-02-11 01:23:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 18,421
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2047902
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Brightershadows/pseuds/Brightershadows
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What happened when Midnight, or Brain II's, Infinity Clock plot succeeded? Lucy is trapped for years, and when she is released, the world changed. There are Titans, monsters that eat humans. But what about Midnight? He's still alive, immortal like her, but going by a new alias, a different name. Levi.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Some officers were walking purposely through the parted crowd. The streets were gray and muddy. The world would have seemed to be colorless, except for the few pieces of clothing that were a vibrant red, green, or blue. Like Eren and Levi's capes, as the mentioned two forced their way through the cluttered bland crowd. A girl, with hair matted and hanging in clumps from the rain, bright, sunny blond in color, a splash of paint on an artists charcoal drawing, was being dragged along behind the officers, wrists tied with rope handcuffs. She had old, crusty blood staines on her clothes, as well as newer ones that were from fresher wounds.

  Civilians were whispering things like "we don't have time to deal with this, what about the titans? We need to fight them." Just then, as Eren and Levi were at the front, the girl turned her head and looked at them, straight in the eye.

 "You!!!" She screamed, looking at Levi. Her eyes were a lovely brown, but they were filled with hate. "Are you happy now? You caused this!! It's your fault! Everything is your fault!!!! Don't you see what you've done!! I'll kill you!!! I swear I WILL kill you Midnight!!!!" She had fought off the men and was now nose to nose with Levi. Eren grabbed his arm, trying to pull Levi away. The guards were reaching out, about to grab the girl. The moment seemed to happen in slow motion.  

"Or should I call you Brain II???" She seethed. By then the guards had her arms, and everything was back to normal speed. They apologized to the scout regiment members and put the blonde, who apparently knew Levi, under even tighter restraints. "I swear I will avenge my friends," the strange, and, honestly, insane, girl whispered to herself. But by then no one could hear her for they had already entered the building in which she was being held prisoner.

* * *

 

"What the hell was that about Levi??" Eren and Levi were at Levi's house. It was where Levi used to live before he became a Titan slaying devil protégé. Levi ran inside to grab some towels for them to dry off with.

"It was nothing. She's just a random girl from the outside. I bet she mistook me for someone else," Levi said this as he inspected the ground for any traces of mud.

"Yeah," Eren scoffed. "A girl from outside the walls. You sure find those everyday. If they were common, that girl wouldn't have been dragged inside, all tied up, to a prison cell. Now I know you're lying. Let me ask you again." Eren looked Levi right in the eye. "Levi, how do you know that girl," he asked in a soft voice.

 Levi sighed. "Her name is, well, it was, Lucy Heartfilia. She's someone from my... my past. I guess they found her, so, she's finally free."

"What do you mean she's free? How did she survive the outside the wall without any weapons? I've never, ever seen her before. Levi, please, please, please, explain." Months ago, Eren wouldn't have dared to speak to his superior in such a way. But now, since they grew "closer" relationship wise, he was up close and yelling.

"I don't want to talk about it Eren," Levi moaned, sitting down at the kitchen table.

"Fine," Eren sighed softly, noticing Levi's discomfort. "But you should talk to her. She probably needs someone to talk to that she knows, even if she DOES despise you. Especially before her trial. She gonna have one you know. She did survive outside the walls. Maybe you might even get some information on if she's been transpiring with Titans or not. How she survived way out yonder." There was a slight pause in the conversation, in which both parties stopped to think.

"You're right Eren," Levi said, biting his lip and looking Eren in the eye. He stood up. "I'll go talk to her tomorrow, but it's late." Levi gently placed his hand on the younger boys. "We should both get some sleep." Levi ascended the stairs to his bedroom.

Eren shook his head, stood up and went to the bedroom. "That was weird," he said turning out the light. Without another thought about it, he climbed into the bed across from Levi's, and fell asleep.


	2. Determining Her Fate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucy undergoes a trial to determine her fate of life or death.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> K guys! Here's chapter two! Thanks for reading it, I'm glad you all liked the prologue/ chapter one!! Review please!!!!

Lucy was cuddled up in a ball in the corner of the cell. 'Why me?' She thought. It could've been anyone, any celestial wizard, but she had to be the one with the most keys. Now she didn't have any keys. They were all taken away, along with her whip, when those officers found her. They had brought her in, thinking that she was in an alliance with the Titans. Lucy, being the quick and smart person she was, immediately realized that titans were the giant monsters that liked to eat humans. 

And now Midnight, the damn bastard, was fighting them, trying to defeat them all, taking back the human reign. They wouldn't even be there if it wasn't for him. If he hadn't succeeded with the infinity clock, causing chaos throughout the world, encasing her, for two hundred years, those ugly giants wouldn't be there.

She sneered. All her friends would be standing by her side if it weren't for him. It was all Midnight's fault. Tears started to well up in her eyes. She sniffled.

Footsteps echoed around the dungeon. "Ay," the guard yelled at her, harshly rapping on the bars of the cell. "You have visitors."

Lucy looked up. There stood Midnight, in all his glory, along with some friend of his. Lucy came to the realization that it was the boy who had been standing by him when she was brought in to this hellhole.

Lucy lunged at her enemy, the one who imprisoned her, who cursed her with immortality. She reached for him, but he backed away just in time. "Midnight!!" She screamed at him, reaching her arms through the bars. She shot him a glare full of hate and anger, built up over the past two hundred years.

"Why are you here? To taunt me, to hurt me even more? This time, are you going to destroy my keys? Which I don't have, by the way. They," she nodded towards the guard, " took them away."

"You mean these?" Midnight held up her celestial keys. He looked her in the eye. Her gaze was full of longing, she was so lonely, he realized. He put them back into his pocket.

"If you aren't going to give them to me, can you please just kill me?" Lucy was desperate. "Please, I've lived long enough, so just end my suffering. You were the one who caused it, so just end it."

Midnight shook his head. "I don't have the authority to do that. But I can give you your keys back. Let's just make some things clear. I am not Midnight. I am Levi, and this is Eren. You must not use these keys. Tomorrow, you will undergo a hearing. You will need me in order not to be tortured and harmed. If I get you out of it, you have to work by my side, be my slave. Got it?"

Lucy hesitated, but then slowly nodded. Levi sighed. "Good" he said. He then tossed the keys to Lucy.

She gasped and then caught them, relived. She started to visibly cry. "Thank you," she said looking at Levi.

Eren looked confused. "My head hurts, I don't understand what just happened," he said.

Levi just shook his head, smiled, and ruffled Eren's hair. "Don't worry about it now," he said. They then walked away. Lucy hugged the keys, curled up in a ball, and fell asleep.

* * *

 

Time skip- the next morning

Footsteps clanged against the stone walls of the prison. "You there," a guard said to Lucy. "Time to go. Get your butt moving."

Lucy looked up, clutched her keys a little tighter, and stood. The guard opened the door and tied her wrists again.

"Don't go fighting us now, or we'll have to take those things that Levi gave you away," he said. "Weird girl," he whispered to his companions. They chuckled.

Lucy just rolled her eyes. 'Says the person carrying around big rectangular boxes with swords,' she thought. The men led her to the courtroom, where she was to have her trial. "Reminds you of Eren's trial, doesn't it," one of the guards asked the others. There was six of them together.

Lucy grinned. 'I must be the ultimate force, huh' she giggled quietly. By now they were entering the big building. She was led to the center of the room, with balconies surrounding her. The people chained her handcuffs to the floor, with a big metal pole. She was still admiring the architecture, when the judge beat his gabble.

"We are here today to discuss the future of this girl here." He nodded towards Lucy. Lucy, still looking around, broke into a fit of laughter. She had come to the realization that Team Natsu had destroyed a building just like this, on one of their missions. It hadn't taken much, either.

"Excuse me!" The judges voice broke though her wall of giggles and penetrated her train of thought. The judge glared. She shut up quite quickly after that. His glare rivaled Erza's.

"Now, as I was saying, this girl was found outside of the wall. No one has ever seen her before, and she hasn't been counted in the records. The theory is that she survived out there for over three years. People gasped. "We think she might have been conspiring with Titans. There is a very slim chance that it was something else."

Lucy looked up at him, and sweetly said, "Excuse me?" The judge looked down at her. He nodded to say she could speak. "Those weird Titan things, yeah I don't think they like me. They were chasing after me and trying to eat me. Then I came here and you guys are saying that I communicate with them? I don't think that it's possible."

The judge looked around, addressing the people to speak there opinions on what to do with her. "Scout regiment, what do you have to say," the judge asked them. Levi stood up and started talking. "I think that I can take her. If she is evil, we can get information out of her. If not, no harm done. The scouts can train her and keep an eye on her. Does that sound good?"

The judge looked around. "Any objections?" A person from the Military Police stood up.

"Sir, I don't think it'd be safe for Levi. You didn't see her when we brought her in. She tried to attack him, she swore she'd kill him. I think she's dangerous, and can't be trusted."

The judge pondered this for a moment. Lucy rolled her eyes. "You know what, if it were my personal opinion, I wouldn't go with Levi," she said quietly.

The judge looked at her. "Speak up girl!!" he shouted.

"Levi and I have a bad history, we haven't exactly gotten along in the past." The judge looked at her.

"Would you rather face a harsh punishment, like death? Would you rather die than live?"

A person in the crowd spoke up. "You filthy witch! You were transpiring with titans!!! You should be eliminated. You shouldn't even be sitting here right now. Go die, scumbag!" Others were agreeing. "Yeah!" "He's right!!" "You bitch!!" "We sacrificed our soldiers for you!!" This was the first man, who started all the insults.

Lucy's head shot towards him. "You don't know the true meaning of sacrifice!" she screamed, tears cascading in a tiny waterfall down her face. Her voice softened.

"You don't know what it feels like to lose everyone you ever loved. You know the feeling of heartache, that you feel for your dad when he dies, even though he never even loved you. I watched every last member of my family suffer and eventually die in front of me. They were trying to protect me, and they all died doing so."

A man sneered. "Who's your family, the titans?" Her handcuffs clanged against the metal pole, hard. People gasped as the pole shook and bent, as if a strong force had rammed against it.

"Shut the hell up!" Lucy screamed. "You're the scumbag! I bet you don't know anyone who's died! I bet you haven't even seen a titan! You're right, I deserve to die, but if that's true than you should die even more than I. You're the filthy one. You haven't saved a single life, and I have. So just shut up!!!"

There were murmurs throughout the room. Lucy looked up, her voice cracking. "I never wanted this fate," she whispered. "But my friends always said that I had to fight, and never give up. They would be disappointed in me," her voice grew stronger, never wavering. "They would be disappointed in me if I surrendered, because where I come from, there's no one, nothing, more important than the lives of our nakama. So I will go with Levi, no matter what my personal issues are," she decided.

The judge had a small smile creeping up his face, although it was hidden to the rest of the room. "Can you help humanity, girl? Will you fight to free our lives from the grasp of the Titans?" Lucy looked up at him, and grace him a determined gaze. "I will."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, please review, but I'm going to go camping until Friday. I will try to upload one more chapter today!!


	3. Frustrations Revealed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucy goes with Levi. Fighting is done.

Eren looked toward Levi. He was as stoic as ever. Eren, on the other hand, was nervous. They were waiting outside for the girl, Lucy. Eren had no idea who the girl was, and what toll she had in Levi's life. Did he know her when he was a thug? And why did she call him Midnight? Eren's small brain hurt from the confusion.

"Eren!" Mikasa was running towards them, her red scarf trailing behind her. She stood next to him. "Who IS this girl," she asked.

Just then the girl, Lucy, was being led towards them. She had the keys Levi gave her in her hand, and was staring back at the courthouse. Eren was wondering why she had started laughing when looking around the building. 'I'll have to ask her,' he thought.

Levi walked up to her. "Time to go," he said sharply, grabbing her wrist. He led the group away. It had grown considerably larger, since Armin, Jean, the crazy scientist and some others had joined. They all went back to Levi's house. Once inside, the blonde girl ripped her hand away.

"So," she sneered. "How's your 'eternal chaos' going?"

Levi looked at her. "Shut up."

She ripped her wrist from his grasp, eyebrows clinched together. "No," she stated in an offended tone. "I want to know. Why are you helping humanity, Levi, when you were so keen on destroying it two hundred years ago? Why do you fight when the Titans are something of your own creation? The Infinity Clock is the reason any part of this messed up reality exists, Levi. You killed my friends."

Her voice broke, and silent tears were trickling down her cheeks. She wasn't meeting his gaze anymore, she was looking at the ground, watching each tear as it was suspended in air, then shattered as it hit the floor. Levi bit his lip, and then did something no one expected. He pulled her into a stiff hug, on both parts.

"I'm sorry," Levi whispered to her. "My mind was defiled and corrupt as my fathers son. I was 'living up to his expectations.' And your guild, your family, the world, was taken out because of that insane mind.

 "So please, forgive me. Give me one more chance, I need it. I know, and will except it if you hate me and will never think of me as a comrade. You have the right to do so. But please, just know I regret doing what I did. I'm ashamed, and I find it disgusting." They pulled out of the awkward hug, Lucy staring up at Levi without the hatred, forgiveness sparkling in her golden brown eyes.

She nodded slightly, as if to say, 'I except you're apology, I'm sorry too.'

Levi turned to look at the ogling disbelieving group of people."Stop staring brats," he commanded.

Then he looked at Lucy. "Let's see about that magic. Summon one." Lucy's eyes widened and she looked at the other members of the scout regiment gathered in the house. "But what about them..." She trailed off. He sighed. "Knowing these guys, they'll find out sooner or later, so why not take the direct method?" Lucy studied him for a moment, then nodded. And took out her keys.


	4. Lucy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Read to find out....

Lucy searched through her keys. 'Who should I summon?' She thought. Loke or Plue?   
She grabbed Loke's key.   
"Open, gate of the lion, Loke!!!" She said. With a POOF, Loke appeared.   
"Lucy," he gasped. She ran into his arms, with tears in her eyes.  
"I missed you so much," she whispered. Loke felt hot tears drip on his shoulder.   
He tipped her chin up, looking her in the eye. "Don't cry princess, it's supposed to a happy moment."   
"Right." Lucy wiped her eyes. "Last time I saw you was, what, two hundred years ago?"   
Loke laughed, and then turned to the group of people staring in shock. His eyes widened when he saw Levi.   
"Midnight," he hissed, pulling Lucy behind him and taking a defensive pose.   
"It's okay Loke," Lucy told him. "He saved me from execution. He's now trying to save the world, not destroy it."  
"But Lucy," Loke argued. "How can you forgive him so easily for all that he did? He gave you this curse. He's the reason they're all dead."   
"I get it, Loke. But he saved me. And I'm willing to give him a second chance." Loke smiled. "You always were a good person, weren't you?"   
They turned back to the dumbstruck crowd.  
"Hi everyone," Lucy said waving. "I'm Lucy, and this is Loke, my celestial spirit. Can you guys tell us who you all are?"   
Levi looked at us, blinked a few times, and then said, "Oh. This is Eren, who you've already met, Mikasa, Erwin, Armin, Hanji, and Jean. We all are, I guess you could call us Titan slayers. We don't use magic though."  
Lucy nodded. "Cool," she said.  
"Wait, you don't use magic Levi?" He shook his head.  
She made a face. "I'm guessing I missed a lot in the past two hundred years."   
The boy Eren looked like his head was going to blow up. "I'm confused," he wailed!!   
Levi sighed. The girl, Mikasa, put her hand on Eren's shoulder. "None of us understand, Eren," she said to him. "Maybe Levi can explain to us."   
Lucy grinned. "That is one LONG story," she said. "But I think I can start by explaining how we met." Everyone sat down, leaving Lucy standing.   
"Okay, two hundred and eight years ago, there were things called guilds. Mages, like me, worked in these guilds, taking on job requests and getting paid for solving those peoples problems. There were also things called dark guilds. These were unofficial guilds where mages did bad things, killing, and hurting people. One guild was extremely powerful. It was called Orcreation Sèis. He," Lucy pointed to Levi, "Was part of that guild."   
Everyone looked shocked. Lucy continued. "My guild, along with three others, set out to defeat them. We succeeded, with my friend Erza, who was extremely powerful by the way, beating Levi, who was known as Midnight back then.   
"Later, I got frozen in time on an island for seven years, not aging once, with some other members in my guild. When we came back, Orcreation Sèis was back, and they wanted to create the Infinity Clock. It would cause chaos throughout the world. They succeeded in assembling it, but then they needed a celestial wizard with the most golden keys of the zodiac. That was me. They captured me. My guild fought back, and all the members were defeated except Midnight, who had changed his name to Brain II, after his father. Midnight defeated my friend Natsu, and the clock was activated."   
Lucy was on the verge of tears. "I was made immortal, unable to die, and so was Midnight, who is now known as Levi. I don't know what happened in the two hundred years I was stuck in the clock, but I was recently freed from that device. And now I'm here."   
Not able to hold it in any longer, Lucy turned into Loke's chest, sobbing. He put his arms around her, comforting her. The people around them stared in shock.  
Levi grimaced. His eyes were full of regret. "I'm so sorry," he whispered.   
Loke gave him a look full of hate and anger. "If you're so sorry, you shouldn't have done it in the first place."   
He turned back to Lucy. "Don't cry," he said softly. "I have a present that might cheer you up. I'll be right back."   
With that, he disappeared in a POOF! Five seconds later he came back, but not alone.  
"Lushi!!" A blue ball of fur flew towards her. She let out a sob. "Happy?" The blue fur was clutched to her chest.   
"I missed you so much."  
"And that's not all." Lucy looked up to see her best friend in the world, Levy, standing in front of her.   
Lucy ran to Levy, her arms out wide. "We took refuge in the spirit world," Levy whispered.   
"I don't care about that," Lucy gasped.   
Levi took advantage of the situation and harshly ordered everyone to go home to bed, with a "stop gawking and invading privacy and get your dirty asses out of my house" after noticing the darkness outside, and herded them all out.  
"Lucy, you can sleep in Mikasa's room. I will fill you in on what happened in the last two hundred years in training tomorrow." Lucy nodded.   
"Levy, you're not fully healed, let's go back now," Loke told Levy.   
"Come on Happy," Levy said. With that, she, Happy, and Loke disappeared.  
Mikasa led Lucy to her room, which was the guest bedroom. "You can sleep there," Mikasa said, pointing to an empty bed across from hers.   
Lucy nodded and looked around the room. She spotted a guitar in the corner. "You play?" she asked, running to it and picking it up.   
The dark haired girl just shook her head. "That's Levi's, not mine," she said. Lucy grinned and strummed the strings. She placed her hands in the positions, and started to play.

"Say something I'm giving up on you  
I'll be the one if you want me to  
Anywhere I would have followed you  
Say something I'm giving up on you"  
Lucy screamed as Natsu hit the wall, stones falling around him. She heard the crack of his bones breaking, saw the blood trickling out of his wounds, and struggled harder against the binds of the clock.   
"Natsu! Natsu, get up, please get up!!"

And I  
Am feeling so small  
It was over my head  
I know nothing at all  
And I  
Will stumble and fall  
I'm still learning to love  
Just starting to crawl

Lucy watched in fear as Erza crashed against the chain and fell to the ground, unable to get up, defeated. She watch as her comrades fell, one by one, as Natsu was the only one who would fall but get up once more.   
He'd inch closer to the her clock prison, and grab and tear at it, hands a flame, screaming her name. She watched, slowly sinking deeper into the oblivion, the darkness.   
She watched as Natsu got torn away from her and would fall again, losing hope every time the cycle repeated.

Say something  
I'm giving up on you  
I'm sorry that I couldn't get to you  
Anywhere I would have followed you  
Say something  
I'm giving up on you  
She heard the ticking of the clock, felt it reverberating through her whole body, erupting through the air of the structure. With every tick, she lost another piece of herself, with every tock, she felt her mortality slipping away. As the fighting went on and time ran out, she lost her innocence, brick by brick.   
And I  
Will swallow my pride  
You're the one that I love  
And I'm saying goodbye

She felt herself give up. In that moment, when Natsu fell and couldn't get up, and the countdown reached zero, she felt herself lose all hope. She felt herself spiralling down, never to come back up, and she watched as Midnight threw his head back and laughed.   
He laughed and laughed and he couldn't control it. His whole body shook with evil heaves and Lucy felt a deep hatred filling her, as the black closed in around her. Her last sight was of Midnight, turning his head and meeting her in the eye. In the last second before she could see no more, an evil smile from hell creeped up his face, and she heard her own hate filled scream pouring out of her before she was lost forever. 

Say something  
I'm giving up on you  
And I'm sorry that I couldn't get to you  
Anywhere I would've followed you  
Say something  
I'm giving up on you  
Say something  
I'm giving up on you  
Say something...."

Lucy finished the song. A round of applause was given to her. She looked up, shocked.   
Her music had brought visitors. Eren and Levi were standing in the doorway, and Mikasa was staring at her in shock.   
Lucy's cheeks were wet with silent tears that she had been shedding during the song. She shook her head to clear the memories.   
"And that, everyone, was the musical talent of two hundred years ago," Levi announced, sending Lucy into a fit of giggles.   
"Eren," Mikasa said. "No boys are allowed. It's time to sleep. Leave." She shut the door in Levi and Eren's faces. 

As he and Levi walked up the stairs, Eren was in awe. Who knew such a fierce girl, with such powerful hatred, could sing so well. He had to admit, Lucy looked like an angel when she sang.   
Too bad he wasn't in to girls. Eren looked at Levi. He was acting strangely. "Levi-" he started, only to be cut off.   
They stopped climbing and looked at each other. "Do you hate me for it," Levi questioned. "Do you see me differently now, when you learned of my past?"  
Eren shook his head. "To me, it doesn't matter if you were evil in the past. It only matters that you are fighting, that you're good now."   
Eren had actually said something wise! Levi started protesting. "But I was the cause of all this. No titans would have existed if it weren't for me!"   
Eren shook his head, silencing him. "But you're fighting back now right? You've changed. That's the important thing, right?"   
Levi sighed. The younger boy was right. That was a first. Eren grinned. "I'm right and you know it!!"   
Levi rolled his eyes, pushed past Eren and entered the room. He changed out of his suit and climbed in bed. Eren did the same and turned off the light. 

Lucy woke up with the sunrise shining on her through the window.   
She smiled. It was just like her bedroom back at home two hundred years age. All that was missing was the warm lump next to her.... Which was there....   
"Lucy Kick!" Lucy bunted the person out of her bed.   
Lucy sighed. "Loke, what are you doing here?"  
Loke looked at her with puppy dog eyes. "I thought you might be cold, and he always used to do that so..." He trailed off.   
Lucy gave him a soft smile. She climbed down off the soft bed, got on her knees, and gave him a hug. "Thanks," she told him.   
They stayed like that for awhile, his arms around her, her cuddled into his chest. Then Lucy pushed away. She smiled.   
"Let's get up then," she said. Mikasa was still asleep, eyes closed. She looked peaceful and lovely. Like an angel. Little did she know that that 'angel' was extremely powerful. A monster.   
Lucy crept past Mikasa's bed and walked through the door. She looked around.  
"Let's go bug Levi," she smirked. After climbing the beat up old creaky stairs, Lucy opened a random door. She gasped at what she saw.   
It was Levi and Eren, sharing a room. The fact that they were sharing a room wasn't that bad, Gray and Natsu used to do it all the time. But, they were in one bed. There was another bed across the room, but no, they were in one bed, one double bed, cuddling together.   
She looked behind her, wanting to confront Loke about it. But Loke had disappeared. Dispersed back to the spirit world. She sighed and summoned Plue in silence.   
"Burr burrr," he said. Lucy picked him up and hugged him to her chest. And then walked over to Levi's bed. And jumped on him.   
"Le-vi wake up," she ordered while bouncing on him. Levi gasped and then, in a flash, there was a knife at her throat.  
He glared at her. "Don't be so childish," he growled. Eren moaned and cracked an eye open.  
"Some of us are still trying to sleep ya know," he complained. Lucy giggled and snuggled with Plue some more.   
"He looks just like Laxus used to doesn't he," she asked him. Laughed when she heard his reply.   
Everyone else heard a simple "burr burr," but Lucy heard "yeah, and he has the ego for it too."   
The boys looked at her in disbelief. "Stop gawking, it's bad manners," she said giggling.   
Levi sighed, agitated. "Lucy, what are you here for," he asked.  
"I'm hungry," she said, stubborn. "You're such a little kid," he said, exasperated. "Make yourself some food." But he walked downstairs anyway.   
Lucy, still sitting on the bed, stuck her tongue out at him until he was long gone. Eren stared at the girl. He shook his head.   
"You two sure have an interesting history, don't you?" He asked.   
She shrugged. "It doesn't matter." Then Loke returned, with Levy in toll.   
"Lu-chan!!" She and Lucy hugged. They walked down stairs towards the smell of breakfast, leaving Eren behind, forgotten.


	5. Past and Future

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took me so long to update! I'm not proud of the beginning of this chapter, but I do like the end;)! Read and Review!!!

Time skip- after expedition

They had returned. The scouts. Lucy was so happy. She hadn't been allowed on the mission. She was left behind, stuck inside the house for a week.   
When the corps returned, she rushed outside with a skip in her step. She pushed her way to the front of the parted crowd, smiling, until she saw them.  
When she got a good look at their depressed faces, her own face fell. Knowing her presence was unwanted, she turned on her heel and walked back to the house, sad.   
She passed the officers on guard, the ones who were in charge of her when they were gone, and walked inside with her head down. She shut the door.   
Making an effort to cheer herself up, Lucy talked with Levy, but in her mind, there was an image of Eren and Armin's shadowed faces burned in the back of her skull. 'What the heck happened to them?????'

The door opened. Lucy ducked her head through the door.   
There they were. Eren, Mikasa, and, of course, Levi. They were drenched in blood. The three brushed past her. "Welcome home guys, how was you're trip," she muttered to herself. She sighed. Tragedy had struck the titan slayers, and it had hit home hard.

Eren tossed and turned in bed that night. He had fallen asleep once. During that time, he had relived the events that had happened during the mission. The death, the pain. Again, he lost his team. After the Survey Op. Squads incident, he had vowed to protect his team no matter what.   
But they all were killed before his eyes. Levi had saved his sorry ass, but he was too late to save the others.  
In the dream, he remembered. He relived the moment when they were laughing because they had just beat the crap out of a stampede of titans. Then, out of nowhere, a hand struck out and slammed Cooper into a tree, blood spattering everywhere.   
More hands came in the brief moments of their shock. They killed everyone around Eren. Right as one of the hands was about to squeeze the blood out of Eren's own body, Levi had killed it.   
The knight to his rescue. They had fled, as fast as possible, meeting back with the troops and heading back to the wall. There had been ambushes all over, nearly half of the troops were killed. But all the members of the elite squad were dead. Again. Eren was beginning to think he was only a bud luck charm. But, they were beginning to win the war, see the light. Eren smiled.   
Once the battle was over, he and Armin were going to see the ocean. He fell asleep imagining the beautiful blue of the water, along with the hot yellow sand laying untouched for years.

The first thing Lucy heard was Midnight laughing. Then the sound of the Infinity Clock counting down. "Sixty seconds. Fifty-nine. Fifty-eight. Fifty-seven..." Natsu ran away from his fight with Midnight, and pounded on the surface of the clock surface, Lucy's cage. She looked up at him, scared. "Lucy! Lucy don't leave! Lucy! Someone help! Lucy!!!" She slowly floated further and further down, into the endless abyss of the trap. Midnight, still smirking, came up behind him and started beating the crap out of him. He was coughing up blood by the time Erza and Gray got there. But too late. "... Four. Three. Two. One. Infinity Clock, detonated." And chaos descended upon the world.  
She woke up with a gasp. Just a dream, she sobbed. Covering her mouth with her trembling hands. "It was just a dream." But it wasn't. It was a memory. A remembrance of the past. Little did she know that she'd be getting a lot more of them. 

 

Lucy knew that Levi was in the kitchen, cleaning. She sighed. 'Might as well confront him now,' she though reluctantly. Sliding the door open, she approached the captain.   
"Sir," she said. "This is about my, um, training. The guards said that you'd start it and-" Levi cut her off.   
He had swirled around and was now strangling her. The worlds strongest soldier had his hand around her throat and an angry, hate filled glare in his eye. Her air supply was cut off, and although she couldn't die, at least not like this, it still hurt like hell to be strangled.   
"Le...vi...stop..." She was trying to convince him to let her go. He pulled her, a hand still on her throat, to the backyard. He threw her down and grabbed two wooden swords, chucking one at her.  
"Training starts now," he hissed. She shot up, and he lunged. Their swords thudded together as she blocked his attack. She spun, getting more and more comfortable and less rusty as she went. He blocked her attack with the side of his sword. Their swords were stuck, both pushing hard against the others, so that they were nose to nose.   
Levi was expressionless. "Not bad, brat," he said stoically. She smirked. "At least those lessons with Titania Erza paid off."   
His attacks were growing faster. Soon she was put on the defensive side, not attacking at all. All she could do was block his attacks.  
Growing frustrated, she shoved his sword away with hers, jumped up, spun, and aimed a hard kick at his side. He caught on to what she was doing and blocked her attack. He punched her in the gut, hard. Then again, and again, and again, until she fell to the ground spitting up blood.   
There was a sword point at her bruised throat now. She looked up. "Check mate," he said. "Now, why did you ask me about "training," right after we came back from an expedition. Seems to me that you're in pretty good shape so I think you can go on the next one..."   
He trailed off when he saw her face. Her bangs were shadowing her face, and she wasn't meeting his gaze.   
"I saw him," she mumbled. Looking up at Levi, she met his gaze. "The master of all evil, the one who created the Infinity Clock..."   
Levi looked at her in a state of disbelief. "You don't mean-" "Zeref."

Time Skip- the 59th expedition beyond the walls.

"A ten meter approaching on the left!" Hanji screamed. Lucy looked over just as the whizzing of the support squad attacked the titan. She chewed on her lip, wanting to help.   
Levi cast her a bored look. "Don't. Stay focused. They can handle it." Lucy kept stealing glances back at them, despite his words. Cringing when a gigantic hand almost smashed one man. They slayed it, but just barely.   
"Lucy, there's no need to worry." Lucy looked at Eren, thundering on another horse beside her. He gave her a reassuring smile.  
"Save your energy till we get out of the town. Trust me, you'll need it."   
She looked up at him with worried eyes, but gave him a tentative nod. He smiled, wider this time, and then turned forward, serious.   
They were aiming to get to Eren's basement, but with each expedition they were mapping out the territory on the way there. The broken, collapsed towns buildings blurred around them, the only thing that didn't seem to be moving was the sky.   
Lucy looked at it, biting her lip again, and prayed. 'Oh Mavis, please protect us.' She thought at the sky. Lucy could've sworn she saw Mavis' spirit blur past.   
She was sitting on a rooftop, legs swinging over the edge. She gave a small nod, like she heard Lucy's prayer. Lucy turned back, facing the front again. She put her hand up in front of her. Her pink guild mark shimmered with a golden glow. A small smile crept up her face. 'Let's do this.'

Flashback-  
"You sent Loke to help us, didn't you?" Levy asked.   
Lucy looked up from the journal she was writing in, confused. Levy's bottom lip quivered.   
"A few months after the Infinity Clock was... started, the guild was fighting all the people overtaken by the chaos. But we were losing. Oh God, Lucy there were so many of them. There were mages and exceeds and humans... We were losing the endless battle. And, in the middle of the final battle, there was a golden light, and Loke appeared.   
He helped us so much, we thought we were winning, but then we were losing again..."   
Levy was choking back tears. Lucy did remember, now. She was watching, unable to do anything. The sky had been a bloody red colour, and there were dark clouds hanging around.  
It seemed like there was no sun. She had gathered up enough power to send Loke to their location.   
He had fought so bravely, but in the end the chaos was to strong, and Lucy could do nothing.   
Levy continued shakily. "I remember that I was poisoned, and badly injured. And Loke started to disappear. He said he was out of magic power, and I could tell he was straining to stay in our world."   
She looked at the ground. "Gajeel knew this too. He grabbed me, and then he pulled me to him. I remember that he pushed his lips on mine, and we kissed. It was brief, but it was beautiful. And then he shouted at Loke, 'save her! Take her with you!' And then he pushed me into Loke's arms. And Happy, being Happy, just happened to be there at the right time, when we disappeared."   
Levy let out a broken laugh. "I passed out after that. But when I woke, me and all the spirits watched the battle.   
"Natsu, oh Lucy, Natsu missed you so much. And when he was taken down, from the anger and frustration and heartache... Lucy, right as a sword was about to go into his chest there was a bang and a column of light, and he, he turned into a titan, Lucy. He was the first titan, and from the information I've gathered, he's the king of the titans. And Gajeel's his first man, his army general."   
Lucy dropped the pen she was holding. "Natsu's... King... of the Titans?" 

They barely made it a mile in open country before a pack of 10 titans loped over towards them, expecting a fine meal.   
The point where the squads were to break into formation was coming up. Erwin wanted to make it there with no casualties. Lucy shifted her body towards Levi on her horse, questioning. He looked her in the eye, before giving her a small nod, granting her permission to attack.   
Erwin directed the troops. "Let Heartfilia handle this! If things get out of hand the support team will back her up!"   
She smiled, twisted her body, and then launched off the horse, using her 3DMG, and attaching to a pine tree nearby to keep her sturdy, a trick she picked up from Mikasa while learning to use the gear. She held out three keys in her hand.   
The members of the Scouting Regiment scoffed. They followed the orders, but knew that the girl was dead meat. Or so they thought.   
Everyone was watching.  
"Loke, Taurus, Scorpio!" A POOF! was heard.   
"We are!"  
"MOO!!!! That uniform looks GREAT on you Lucy!"   
"At your service, Lucy."   
She smirked, rolling her eyes.  
"Let's get them guys!" she shouted. "I'm all fired up." Taurus attacked from in the air, landing on a titan and slicing the nape of its neck.   
Scorpio blinded the titans with sand whilst Loke used a sword made of light- where he got it from she had no idea- to slice their necks.   
Lucy just went with it, spinning and twisting, killing titans every which way. She wasn't even close to as good as Mikasa or, god forbid, Levi, but she was pretty talented.   
Soon all the titans were dead. Lucy looked at the troops thundering in the distance, pondering how she was going to get to them. Then she heard a voice.  
"Lushi!!!"   
She smiled. "Let's go Happy! And you three, you can go back now! I'll call on you soon!"   
"Aye Sir!!" Happy grabbed Lucy from where she hung suspended in midair, and took off, shooting towards the horses.  
She caught up in seconds, and dropped onto her horse. Happy curled up in her lap.   
The troops were in shock but didn't say a thing. Levi smirked, glancing sideways at her.  
"I was beginning to think you didn't make it Blondie."   
She gave an exasperated sigh. "Whatever shorty."  
He glared but didn't say anything, for Erwin shouted at them all to split into position and form the ranks. Levi, still facing forward, said, "Welcome to Hell, Lucy."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How'd you like it? Is it good enough? I heve plans for this story, I know where I'm going, I just don't know how to get there!!!


	6. Silence is good???

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I haven't posted in so long! Lucy and the others are still out in battle!!!

Flashback-  
"Levi, what happened to you're magic? I remember you being a very powerful Mage, and now I can't sense any magic coming from you at all."   
Levi looked up. "I don't know. Somehow, all the magic in my body was... Sucked up, I guess. And I just lost my powers."

Green flares shot up, pointing in the direction they were going. Lucy shifted on her horse. Their squad hadn't encountered any titans so far, and she was getting kinda bored. She sighed, looking at the ground passing by at sixty mph. And giggled. And then laughed harder, and harder. She collapsed on her steed, breathing hard.   
Eren looked at her, concerned that his friend had lost her marbles. "Lucy? What happened?" He asked cautiously.   
She coughed. "Sorry, it's just my old friend had a horrible case of motion sickness, and I was just thinking of how sick he would be on one of these horses."  
Happy, who had woken up from his position on her lap, also giggled. "You're talking about Natsu aren't you," he asked. "He would be barfing up sparkles everywhere, wouldn't he?"   
Lucy bit her lip to keep from smiling, and nodded. Eren gave a little chuckle, and then shifted back to face forward on his horse.   
Lucy looked to the sky. Flares were surrounding them, red, green, black, all the colors. She shifted her weight and looked ahead.   
"The forest of Giant Trees," someone murmured. Levi's expression was hard. Eren was looking down at the ground, whirling past at incomprehensible speeds.   
She started chewing her battered lip again. This was the place they had encountered the Female Titan at, she realized.   
Where the late Special Ops. Squad had had there last battle. Suddenly Lucy felt a cold, hard, dark, wind tickle her face.   
Coming from the forest. She sucked in a breath. "Levi, we can't go in there."   
Levi glared. "Levi, please. I... I felt HIS magic, I don't want to go in there. Levi-"   
"Heartfilia!" Levi cut her off. "Erwin gave the orders. I can't defy him."   
Lucy was trembling. She felt a blast of dark magic, coming from the forest. Where all the troops ahead of them had entered. She cast the captain a sidelong glance.  
"Be prepared for dead stuff." And then the forest engulfed them.

Eren let in a shaky breath. They were halfway through the forest, and had yet to experience any action whatsoever. They were past the point where the old squad had been... executed, and continuing on.   
The horses thundering footsteps were the only sounds to be heard. Everyone was left to their own thoughts. Eren cast a glance to Lucy. She was staring at the ground. She was engulfed in her thoughts, not sparing any attention except to riding. One of her hands though, Eren noticed, was lingering near her key pouch. He shook his head. She was just alert, nothing else. He turned his attention back to the front, staring ahead at the green surrounding them.   
.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

The green halted, turning to black and brown. No grass grew. There was a pack of dead wolves lying on the ground. Everything was dead, dead, and dead.   
Eren's breath was shortened in surprise. "Oh my god." He gasped.   
Lucy let out a small whimper. He looked over at her. She was shaking, tears threatening to spill over. "Not again," she whispered.   
Eren forced his gaze to look at Levi. The entire squad, consisting of Mikasa, Sasha, Connie, Jean, Eren himself, and Lucy. They all looked at Levi.   
"Just keep riding, brats," Levi ordered.  
Lucy mumbled something under her breath. It sounded something like, "And keep our fingers crossed that we don't meet up with Zeref."

They made it out of the Forest of Giant Trees without any casualties or incidents. But that was the end of the peace and silence.  
Not five minutes of riding out in the open, a group of titans was waiting for them. Mikasa and Connie took care of them, moving quickly and efficiently. They sat back down on their horses, the blood coving their uniforms sizzling as it disappeared.   
They continued to ride forward. Lucy listened closely, there was the sound of running water to the right of them. She grimaced as the thought if using Aquarius crossed her mind. That wouldn't end well.  
Sure, all the Titans would be swept away, but so would the horses and everyone else, including Lucy. She shook her head, clearing the disastrous thoughts from her mind. All at once, the sound of footsteps came pounding towards them and a variant appeared, with three more in its wake.  
"Shit!" Levi cursed, muttering many other words that Lucy's father would have washed his mouth out with soap for.  
"How are they all reaching us?" Mikasa and Connie launched themselves into the air, only to get flung back towards their horses. With three more sweeps of its hand, the leading variant had everyone flying in different directions.   
Lucy found herself tumbling through the air, with no trees to latch her gear onto. She swiftly grabbed a key and chanted, "Open, Gate of the Ram, Aries!!!" A flash of light, and Aries flew beside her. "I'm sorry!!!" she squealed, making a wool bomb appear where Lucy was going to land.  
Lucy landed on the soft, pink, fluff and sighed, catching her breath. She opened her eyes and looked around, viewing her surroundings. Few trees. She had been flung quite far. She turned and looked behind her. "And there's the water I heard," she muttered under her breath.  
It was a rather stunning view, the water sparkling as the sunlight was reflected off its surface. It was a river, and a pretty big one at that. It was probably sixty yards to the other side.   
"Wow," she whistled. And, to her surprise, her horse came running towards her. Loyal horse, she thought. Lucy sighed, rubbing her temple.   
"I hope the others are alright," she told the horse.   
Suddenly, the water in front of her splashed up, creating the shape of a body. Lucy blinked in shock. She stared as it took a step forward, on the water, then another one. The shape rippled as it created features, and then, right as it reached Lucy, as well as the land- "Juvia?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope that was good:/ I tried my best, and btw MUHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!  
>  CLIFFHANGER!!!!!!!!!!!!  
>  I know what to do now, but schools starting next week and I won't have much time to write. Still don't have my English paper done... Uh oh. Oh well, I'll update soon, I know what to write after this!! Love u guys


	7. Eren and Levi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry guys this is really short, but it is Ereri fluff and I think I did well on it. I've never had a boyfriend, so don't judge. (Or girlfriend, but sadly, I'm not gay

Eren groaned as he sat up. He had been flung against a tree, which had hurt like hell.   
He looked around, taking in his surroundings. All the green flares were pointed to the East of him, and there were no trees in sight except for the one he was leaning on. He put two fingers in his mouth and whistled.   
The sound of a horses footsteps immediately followed. Eren was surprised. His horse usually didn't come so quickly. The horse came into view. More like Levi came into view with two horses in his wake. He thundered to a stop next to Eren's tree.  
"Eren," he breathed. "You're not dead." His expression was relived. Levi jumped off his horse and pulled Eren into a tight hug. Eren awkwardly wrapped his arms around Levi, after standing there in shock for moment.   
Then he lightly held Levi away from him and leaned in. His lips brushed against the shorter mans, hesitant, light, and feathery. Just like all of the kisses they'd shared, it was questioning and sweet. It had no pressure to do more, just leave their lips against each other's.  
Levi, gently, gingerly, pushed back, letting Eren continue the way he was going. They felt as if time stopped, froze just for this moment in time, this perfect kiss, and let them enjoy the time they shared. Eren broke away, with an embarrassed, tiny, smile on his face. Levi looked at him, equally embarrassed.   
"Let's go find Lucy."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late update school has started, and between Honors classes and soccer, I'm barely finding enough time to read my book. City of Ashes btw. Go Malec! I'll try to write more this weekend. Thanks for reading!


	8. Juvia's Tale

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Read and find out! Review!

Lucy's breaths were uneven gasps, and the world was blurry and unclear through all her tears. Juvia was there, alive. Juvia told her a story. One of heartache, and tragedy. The story of her end.  
It was after Natsu had turned into a Titan, the Titan. Titan Natsu was busy turning the other mages into Titans. That's what happens, you see, when mages are on the brink of death, and they are so broken, they turn into Titans. And that's what happened.   
Gray tried to stop him. He knew it was the only way to save the world. He used Iced Shell. But it didn't work. Natsu was too powerful. He was not fazed by Gray's spell. He was about to break the ice that was Gray when Juvia used her own body, made out of water, to melt Gray. Other than using the light of the moon, there is one more way to melt ice of the spell. If a water user uses their body of water to melt it. That's exactly what Juvia did. They both sank into the river, just like Ur. Gray was intertwined with his mentor, and Juvia lay beside them, a fitting end. Until now.

"Juvia saw Lucy, and she, she..." Juvia broke off, tears running down her face. The two girls were sitting on the grass, watching the river.   
Lucy sighed as the sun was setting. It was a beautiful sight, especially when reflected off the river. It was pink, and orange, and red, and purple all at once. The darkening blue sky above them had clouds the color of Lucy's guild mark clustered in the sky.   
"It's funny, how such a beautiful sight can come from a world in which such great evil exists, huh," a voice from behind them asked. The girls shrieked from surprise. A familiar bored look gazed down on them, as well as a pair of anxious teal colored eyes. Levi and Eren.   
"Mavis, you scared me," Lucy gasped, drying the tears from her wet face. Levi rolled his eyes. Juvia, having already been filled in on how Midnight and Eren and everything had happened, just watching innocently as the three talked.  
"Erwin sent the signal that we are to set up camp up where we are and head back in the morning. I contacted the rest of the squad. They should be here soon." Levi explained everything that happened, and acknowledged Juvia with a slight incline of his head.   
She smiled politely. As they set the fire and rolled out blankets, Mikasa, Connie, and Sasha all joined up with them, save and sound. Lucy had first watch.   
They all ate and were introduced to Juvia before hitting the hay. While everyone else was asleep, Lucy sat on a rock and stayed alert, humming lightly to herself. No Titans were in sight. By the end of her shift, Lucy was reassured that nothing was heading her way. She woke Mikasa up for the next shift, curled up in a ball, and fell asleep. 

Lucy was awakened by the sounds of birds chirping, and flares going off.   
They pointed in the direction of home. Home. It was funny how she started calling it that, even though Fairy Tail would always be that.   
She smiled lightly remembering the brawls and banter of the guild. Juvia seemed to read her mind.   
"Juvia misses Fairy Tail as well, Love Rival," she said sympathetically.   
Lucy rolled her eyes. "Old habits sure do die hard don't they," she stated.   
By then camp was all packed up and they were headed home. Juvia got an extra horse wandering around. Back in formation, they rode back towards the forest, the area where Zeref most definitely passed through, and the wall.

The next day Lucy was sitting by the river. She was thinking to herself. About everything that had been going on. She closed her eyes, sighing, and let the sun warm her face.   
She felt so free, and relaxed. Like everything was the way it used to be. Without the Titans and the infinity clock and everything. Her body was warm and she found herself in peace.   
Suddenly she was torn from her heaven. By a cold hand on her shoulder. She wiped around to see Zeref staring right back at her. His hand was as cold a death. She gasped in fear and cowered in fear, but he didn't do anything.   
He merely asked. "Would you like to have Gray Fullbuster back?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> K this wasn't my best work but I hope u liked it! Sorry for not updating I promise I will update by next weekend! Thanks!


	9. Why Not?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Short & Sweet. Sorry!!! Please stay with me tho!! I'll update again soon! Lucy wants Gray back, but Levi is against it.

"No."   
"Please Levi, I promise, I trust him. I want Gray back!!" Levi glared at her sternly.   
"No, Lucy. He's Zeref. He's evil. He created Deliora. He was the reason for Nivana-"  
Lucy looked at him sadly, her face twisted in a mournful look. "I trusted you didn't I?"   
With that she turned on her heel and walked away. Levi sighed. Eren looked at him sideways.   
"She's right you know," Eren said softly. "What if this man, Zeref, has changed? What if he's just like you? What if... What if he wants to survive just like us?"   
Eren looked Levi directly in the eye. "Can't you just give him a chance! Levi, did you see Lucy. She wants to trust him. She wants Gray back. I heard her stories, Levi. He's basically her older brother. He protected her, took care of her. Levi. Levi look at me. For Lucy, can't you just trust him?" Levi looked down. He bit his tongue, closed his eyes, breathing shakily. "Yes." 

Lucy ran outside, along the river, to where she was supposed to meet Zeref.   
"Screw you Levi," she sobbed, tears streaming down her face. She heard people calling her name, Eren's voice, Mikasa's, Juvia's. Levi's.   
She wouldn't stop though. Juvia loved Gray. She would understand. God, she just wanted her old friend back.   
She missed him. She missed him being there, comforting her, putting his arms around her when she had problems with Natsu. When Lisanna came back. She wanted that back.   
Before she knew it, Lucy was at the hill where she met Zeref. And there he was. By the river, like before. Rain was pouring from the dark colored clouds, soaking her clothes. But she didn't care. She approached Zeref. "What do I need to do?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos, review comment, whatever! I love you all!!! Please continue reading!!!!!


	10. Goodbye Zeref

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I like this☺️ It's all about what happens in the process of getting Gray back!!

Lucy looked up at Zeref. He was wearing what he had been wearing when she first met him. His dark coat swirled around his body when he walked. But this time, Lucy noticed something else.  
She can be very observant when someone's not trying to kill her. It was the way he walked, talked, the way he held himself. The way he looked up at the rain and seemed to say, here I am. I'm here. I've done what I've done. Now take me.   
He was so.... Sorrowful..... Lonely.....ready to... Die. She went back to drawing the runes he had directed her to.   
She cast him another rueful glance. She shook her head. No need for any bad thoughts. She was getting Gray back. That was good. Above her Zeref stilled.   
She stood and brushed off her pants. He looked at her with his wise eyes that had seen the ages pass between his lifespan. And he smiled.   
Not evilly, not scarily, but he truly smiled. One that said, I'm here, I'm proud of what you've done. Zeref reached out his arms, and wrapped them around her.   
He hugged her. Her eyes widened. "Thank you," he whispered. "Thank you for never giving up, not on me, not on the world, not on anyone. You're mother would be proud."   
Lucy was confused. She shook from the cold in the rain, in herself.   
"Meneliza finoella purreza," he whispered. Lucy gasped as the weight was lifted from her body. As her immortality was gone. As she was human again, like Levy, Juvia, jand Eren.   
"Goodbye, Lucy."   
And Zeref pushed her from the circle of runes. He began chanting. The runes glowed gold. The rain pounded down harder. And it dawned on Lucy. The meaning of the runes, the words of farewell. Everything. The spell being used- it was saying give one to take mine. All of my immortality, used to grant a life, normal, and wonderful.   
"No!!!" Lucy screamed. "You don't deserve to die, you saved- no you don't need to stop!" She pounded on the glowing wall the runes created.   
"Please stop! STOP!" Zeref turned to her, and had a small smile on his face.   
"Thank you," he said. He looked past her, as the runes glowed brighter, making his body dissolve.   
"Mavis, my love, I'm coming." Lucy fell to her knees. She screamed. And a bright flash encased the land.   
Time around Lucy seemed to stop. She was suspended in the air, whiteness around her on all sides.   
She felt a hand on her shoulder. She raised her head from her hands, and looked back at the first master of Fairy Tail.  
She smiled kindly at Lucy. "This is what he wanted. "He just wanted to save a life rather than take one, and he did. He got his wish. It's okay Lucy, it was his time. He was ready to leave. So don't be sad. Be ready to fight for what you want. For you're friends. Just like Fairy Tail."   
The white around them started to fade. Mavis looked at her, fading as well, and with Zeref at her side. "Thank you, Lucy." 

It happened when Levi was running, looking for Lucy. They had split up, Levi and Eren in one group, Mikasa and Juvia in another.   
The feeling of weightlessness overcame Levi. He gasped, out of breath, and stopped running.   
"Levi?" Eren had caught up, concerned. "What's wrong?" Levi looked at him.   
"I'm human." he smiled. His immortality was gone. He looked at Eren.   
"She did something, Lucy did, and it's something right." And he grabbed Eren and kissed him, with the rain surrounding them.   
Eren was cold, shaking from the rain, and he was probably getting mud in Levi's hair, but he didn't care. He could grow old with Eren. They could be together, love each other with no boundaries.  
Before, that's what was holding Levi back. The thing keeping him alive was slowly killing him. The fact that Eren would die before him, without him, stopped him, made him crazy. And now he was mortal. He could love Eren, be with him. The joy was overwhelming. 

Lucy looked up. The rain was slowing, and she could actually see five feet in front of her face. A figure was lying on the ground, a figure with dark hair and was missing a shirt. She laughed at the irony. Stripper for life.   
"Gray," she cried, running towards him.   
He blinked, "L-Lucy?" She jumped into his arms, a giant sob-fest.   
"You're actually here. You're alive. Gray, I missed you so much."   
He smiled into her hair and pulled her into his lap. "I missed you too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... How was it? I'm gonna update sometime later this week, by the end of the weekend at most. Review please!!!


	11. Gray and Grief

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Crucial, cliffhangers, and a Lucy breakdown.

Have you ever wondered what you would do, if it all disappeared? If one moment, people are fighting for you, fighting with you, and then it all went black? It all just came over you, and you didn't have time for a last thought, you didn't have time to say goodbye. Because Death is not like in the movies where you die in their arms. Where you fade away. Where you are heroic and give you're life and save the day. Death is scary. Death is dark. But Death is peaceful. At least the type of death that Gray experienced. The type where he was dead, but not really dead. He type where he could relish in the memories of happiness and love, and suffer from the ones of losing love, of pain. He never got to say goodbye. He only was able to make a split second decision and try to stop Natsu. But even that he failed. And then it all just went dark. 

They had sat like that for a while. Lucy snuggling with Gray. He had a strand of her hair in his fingers and was twisting it back and forth, considering the conversation they had just had. They were at Levi's house again, on the couch. Gray had felt so weak- so vulnerable when he came back. When he saw Midnight coming towards them, with a boy with green eyes trailing behind him, grinning like a maniac, he couldn't even stand up. He felt like everything had been drained out of him. Magic, life, energy, color, warmth, everything. Lucy had felt him stiffen, and muttered soothing words to comfort him. She told him that it was okay. And then they brought him to the house, set him in front of the fire, and gave him an explanation for everything that had happened. He looked down at Lucy again. He snorted when he noticed shed fallen asleep. Jeez, he hadn't realized how much he'd missed her. His little bundle of joy. They'd gotten a lot closer when he and Juvia had gotten together and she wasn't being death glares at all moments. She and Natsu became a thing, and then Lisanna came back. There had been a time when for days she'd been crying in his room, with only him and Juvia for company. Natsu hadn't talked to her for weeks, and when he finally did it was only to break up with her. He remembered how she had ran to his door, and Juvia had answered. Then she wrapped Lucy up in her arms and cooed comforting words, protecting her from the outside. About two weeks later Natsu came and apologized for breaking up with her. It turns out Lisanna didn't like him in that way anymore. They got together, but then Lisanna broke up with him and got with Max.... Strange.   
"G-Gray?" Gray looked up, startled at the voice. Blue hair the color of water, and skin as white as the clouds. Juvia. His Juvia. The one he loved. The one he kissed. The one he missed. His first love that would last forever.  
"Juvia!!!" He stood, forgetting about Lucy, who was sitting on his lap. She screeched when she hit the ground, waking up instantly. She say on her knees, rubbing her head, and shot Gray the scariest glare he had ever seen. He cringed visibly, shaking in fear.   
"Look, I get that you two want to have a happy reunion, but next time could you at least wake me up before starting you're make out session?" Both mages nodded, scared of what she might do to them if they objected. She walked away grumbling about them being stupid, still rubbing her head. Gray walked sheepishly over to Juvia, rubbing the back of his neck.   
"Hi," he said awkwardly. She just laughed and pushed her lips to his, gently and softly, as if she were afraid he was about to break. He deepened the kiss, but she pulled away. She smiled lovingly at him, looking deep into his dark eyes.   
"I missed you," she said. "And I'm so happy you're back. Lucy informed you on everything she knows right?" He nodded fast. "Well, there's something you need to know, that I learned, that Lucy doesn't know about. And you must promise to not tel her ok? You must tell no one. It'd break her heart if she found out." She was serious. This wasn't good. He nodded.   
"What is it?"

Lucy walked, grumbling into Levi's room. And then walked right back out again. Blushing red. There was a pretty heated make out session going on back there. She peeked behind the corner. Gray and Juvia, lip locked. In the backyard, she found that Armin was also having some lip time with Erwin. Was there anyone who wasn't kissing in this house! She walked into the room she shared with Mikasa, which empty. She sat down on the bed, sighing. Looking down at the bed spread, she smiled when she saw the red and blue pillows next to each other. It seemed like Erza and Jellal. Erza. Lucy inhaled sharply, biting her lip. With everything that had been going on, she hadn't thought about her. Did Erza ever get her first kiss? Did Jellal ever get the chance to ask her out? Did Erza ever get to say "I love you?" She closed her eyes, squeezing them right to stop the tears. God, she hoped so. Even though she wanted Erza to come back, she knew deep inside, she hoped for the opposite. If Erza was still alive, she would be torturing herself over h the fact that she couldn't save everyone. She would spend everyday regretting, everyday shed spend thinking that if she had just done something else, none of it would have happened. Lucy didn't want that for her friend. Erza deserved peace, to rest, and to be in a happy place. And Lucy hoped with all her heart that she was in peace. Not broken. But safe and sound. The tears were flowing freely, and she was sobbing, unable to calm down, to breathe. She inhaled uneven gasps. It was all too much. Everyone needed their happy ending planned out for them. Gray and Juvia. Eren and Levi. Armin and Erwin. Everyone wanted to survive. She knew that Erza wasn't coming back. She had no idea if she'd ever see Natsu again. And inside, she was breaking. Levy needed Gajeel. The Titans had to go away. And it was her fault that they were here in the first place. If she had been stronger, if she could've just fought harder, not listened to Michelle's, win for once in her miserable life, no one would be living the stupid screwed up life they were living now. She wished she could go back and stop this all for happening. Because it was her fault. And she was going to fix it. She was going to piece the broken China doll back together. And for once, she was going to succeed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love everyone who reads this! Thank you all! Feel free to check out any of my other stories too, and give me suggestions!!!


	12. Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is soo late and soooo disappointing. I am truly sorry. Busy life, and writers block.

Memories are wonderful. They are what makes up the essence of a person. They can be good, full of joy, laughter, happiness, love. They can be shared with friends, family, everyone. But for some people, memories can also be bad. Some people can remember all the bad things that have ever happened to them, in such detail that it seems real. These people dream about these events, but the dreams are so vivid and alive that they don't realize that it's not happening. They feel scared and terrified, and feel like a lifetime passes before they wake up. And sometimes memories can be twisted, into something you think happened, but didn't. You dream of something, that combines both memory and reality and fantasy, and it twists into something dark, something you never wanted to see, into a.... nightmare.

They were in a meadow. It was green, and the sun was out, only a few puffy white clouds in the sky. It was her, Natsu, and Happy. They had come back from a successful mission, with a full pay. The day was perfect. They're laughter filled the air, and Natsu and Lucy's intertwined hands swung casually as the hiked to the place they wanted to go. They stopped in the middle of the bright green meadow, Natsu setting down a blanket. He smoothed it out and sat down, pulling Lucy down with him. He tugged lightly on her arm, teasing her, and she made a face, but laughed anyway. Happy stopped flying, sitting himself in her lap, curled up and asleep. She smiled a dazzling smile, and lay her head down on the ground, looking at the clouds. She saw a ship, a fish, the Fairy Tail guild mark, she pointed out excitedly! Natsu pulled her over to him, and smiled. The smile grew bigger and bigger, until it was abnormally large and kept growing. But it wasn't just his mouth that was growing. It was all of him, his whole body. The big gaping mouth, the wicked smile. She let out a scream. "Natsu this isn't funny!" He just looked at her with an idiotic look on his homing outs face and grabbed Happy from her lap with two fingers. Happy let out a cry of pain and shouted, waking up. "Lucy, Lucy, HELP!!" She sat paralyzed as the hand brought Happy into his mouth. "LUCY, please help me!!!" 

Lucy's eyes snapped open. She was drenched in sweat, shaking as tear flew down her face. Silently she brought her knees up to her chest, curling up in the corner where her bed and the wall touched. She sobbed silently, trying to calm herself. She remembered that day. It had been wonderful. They had a picnic, and life was perfect. That day was perfect. That was one of her favorite memories from then. Not so much now. She got up, sneaking past Mikasa's bed and tiptoeing to the kitchen. She wouldn't be falling back asleep for a while. 

Two weeks. That's how long it would be until the next expedition. This time, Erwin said, this time they would reach wall Maria and regain human territory. They all had to train their butts off to get ready. The newest recruits had been dispatched, and at least half of them joined the Scouting Regiment. They were all so ready, fearless. Lucy was also training, but in a different way. She was in the forest, and was working on casting a new spell. It was one that could temporarily paralyze a foe, but she was multiplying it to the maximum. She was planning on using it on a titan. The way it worked was the caster entered the foes mind and looked inside, grabbing at their most painful or emotional memory and forcing them to look at it, to watch it. She was practicing gathering enough magic power to cast it without wasting all of her energy.   
"Let me see what shouldn't be watched, let me grab the untouchable. Give me the power!!!" A large explosion startled Lucy into opening her eyes. In front of her a tree, one second before that had been standing tall, was diminished to a smoldering stump. "Definitely need some practice with control issues." She chucked. Boom!! It blew up again, tree shards flying everywhere. She scratched her head. Jeez, she was turning into Natsu.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, I am so sorry. I really suck. Please stick with me. I am almost there. This was necessary. Thanks for reading.


	13. The Beginning of the End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The second expedition that Lucy flows on.

Trip number two. Let's keep our fingers crossed. Lucy let out a shaky breath. They already were past the Forest of Giant Trees. Altogether the trip was uneventful. And then it happened. After hours of riding with no intrusion, there were flares shooting up everywhere. Shouts of joy and laughter were heard, even from the secluded spot of Squad Levi. Lucy heard Eren take a shaky breath. She looked back at him, and he was smiling. "I'm almost home," he whispered. She whipped her head forward. "Is that.... Is that Wall Maria?" And it was. A giant wall that climbed hundreds of feet, reaching into the sky's. It looked over them, as if to say that they were insignificant to it. Giant, the Titans seemed like bugs compared to it. "Wow..." She looked over to Mikasa, whose face, usually stoic, was flooded with light, and joy. The shouts changed though. One moment laughter had been filling the air, and the next screams were heard. "Stop it!!! Stop those titans!!! They're headed for Squad Levi!! Help!!" Levi took action quickly. "People, get into position!" He barked. "They're gonna be after Eren, protect him at all costs! Eren don't shift unless completely necessary!" Lucy rode her horse to the edge of the circle they created around Eren. She couldn't see the Titans yet, and the shouts were too loud. Her breath quickened into gasps. She was completely unaware. She closed her eyes, her breathing slowed. She listened, connected herself to the Earth. There. She felt giant vibrations, like footsteps, coming towards them, from her left. Titans. Three of them. She opened her eyes. There they were. Levi was ready, his swords out, fingers on the levers that would propel him forward. She got a better look at the Titans. Her breathing stopped in shock. It was the same Titans as before. The ones who attacked them on that first expedition. Her fingers quivered, prepared to grab her keys if needed. As she watched, the lead Titan stood two steps from Levi, and Levi launched himself in the air, twisting ready to kill. But the Titan dug his foot into the ground and launched off of it, bursting past Levi. "EREN!" He screamed, scared. But, the Titans completely bypassed Eren, and bumbled straight for... Her. She gasped, fingers clumsily fumbling with the 3DMG lever. She shot into the air, but too slow. The lead titan reached out and grabbed her from the air. She reached for her keys, hearing the screams of her companions. But they weren't there. She must have dropped them on the ground, when she was grabbed. So instead, she swiped at the hand holding her. But the sharp blade wouldn't cut the skin. She gasped as cold penetrated her skin. Metal. The hand she was sitting on had turned to metal. She felt air pass around them, and guessed they were running. "Let go of me!!! Put me down you monster!!!! Stop this!! Someone help me!!!!" He voice cracked as her screams were unanswered. She sobbed. "I don't want to die..." Suddenly, Lucy found herself looking at a giant face. She shuddered, shrinking away from the mouth that was gaping infringement of her. The head had a black mane of unruly long hair, and the eyes were a blood red color. The face was scarred and scary, with piercing on its lips, ears, and eyebrows. He let out a grumble. "Bunny...girl." It was almost incomprehensible. But it was there. "No way," she gasped. "Ga-Gajeel??"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok this is so late, I am so sorry. But know updates should be regular, and I might update again today. And I am so happy that everyone is readying this, thank you so much!!!! I love you guys!!!


	14. Reality

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So late!!! Many turns in the story, and involves flashback!!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So late!!!! I'm so sorry!!! Yup but it's long so you can thank me later. I lied I'm sorry!!!! But I saw MockingJay two weeks ago and it was amazing!! Please forgive me!!! I'm lazy ok???

The cold, icy wind whipped against his face. It was all he could see, or feel. All he was aware of was that he was going fast. Gray shook his hair out of his eyes. The horse underneath him was going as fast as he could. All he could think was Lucy. He had to save her. As the land passed in a blur, he remembered Juvia, what she had told him.   
"It'll break her heart?" He'd asked, confused. She sat down wearily. "Yes." She looked at him with her beautiful blue eyes, eyes that were filled with sorrow. "It's about the Titans. Gray, I observed them for years, and I watched as countless people tried to defeat them. I watched Natsu, Gray. And, there's no turning back from where he is." Gray looked at her. "What are you saying? Are you telling me that we can't save Natsu, or what? Are you telling us we should give up?" He was frustrated, angry. "Juvia, you know that Lucy will never, ever, except that. She'll keep searching, and she'll never ever give up. That's the Fairy Tail spirit, that's what Natsu taught her. You should know that's, you experienced it first hand. So why are you telling me this?" Juvia looked down, her eyes downcast. A quiet sob passed through her pale lips. Tears dripped slowly, one at a time, onto the ground. Splattering as the hit the carpeted floor. "Gray, there is a solution. There is a way to stop it. It's death." Gray shook his head, knowing Lucy would never ever except that. He pulled his girlfriend into an embrace. "He closed his eyes, his chin resting on her head buried into his shoulder. "There's a spell," she whispered. "If someone, a person that Natsu loved dearly in his past life, casts it, he turn back. And all the others will change too. But it comes at a cost. The person has to forgive him completely for what he's done, and death. Not Natsu's death, but the casters death. And we both know that Lucy loved Natsu and he loved her. But I won't let her die. Don't tell her of the spell, okay?" Gray was determined not to let Lucy die. "Okay."

This morning after the Scouts left when the sky was filled with darkness. Juvia came to him.   
"Gray-sama, Lucy- I I think she's in trouble." Gray had looked at her strangely. Yet her eyes were full of concern. "Juvia don't know why, but she just has this feeling, inside that is dark, and she's so worried!!!!!" After that Juvia told him to go save her. And now here he was rumbling down the abandoned area. He had to find her. He couldn't let her die. 

Levi thought he was stupid. When the Titans had grabbed Lucy, he hadn't even tried to stop them. He had stood, frozen in fear, as his teammates had screamed for her and tried to save her. He, Midnight, retired terrorist, had watched as they took her away. As they threw the people he was in charge of, the people he cared for, to the ground, cowering as the one carrying Lucy bolted away. As his one true love was chucked on the hard rocks. The thing that woke him from his daze was the sound of Eren's body cracking against the ground. "Eren!!" He screamed. He and Mikasa charged toward the boy, a crumpled heap on the flat grass. Levi bent down and touched him gently, and the brunette simpered in pain. Just by looking at him, Levi could see at least half his bones were broken. Eren gasped. "Go.... Save Lucy." He took in a painful breath of air. "She needs... You." Mikasa gave Levi a hard stare. "Go," she said, raising her eyebrows. "We'll take care of him. Go!!!" Levi took off running and launched himself on the nearest horse. With a final glance back at Eren, he went full speed ahead, to the distant horizon, through the broken, abandoned wall.

The giant thundering slowly came to a stop. Lucy blinked and rubbed her eyes. They had been moving for over an hour, as far as she could tell. She sniffed waited as Gajeel opened his palm and revealed where they were to her. She gasped. The sight was truly marvelous. Something that would be in a book, that Geologists would gape in awe at. In front of them was a long line of volcanoes, stretching endlessly in either direction. Their tops were sticky with red lava, and chunks of lava were spewing in the air. It was dusk, and the sky was a hazy purple-orange. And directly in front of them, front and center was a golden throne, a giant golden throne. Titan sized. But it wasn't gold, exactly. Sure, the actual throne itself was, but the throne seemed to be... On fire. Flames didn't completely engulf it, but, like a case, they enclosed around it. And sitting on that throne, was a giant. He had a muscular body, with a eight pack and all. Tuff of yellow hair stuck up on his head. Gajeel made a groaning sound, shaking his head. Suddenly another pounding shook the ground. Another titan, the largest one she had ever seen, charged towards the throne and grabbed the yellow haired titan and threw him. He let out a roar, but it was the most wretched and horrible sound Lucy had ever heard. It blew into her eardrums, screeching yet deep sounding, and bellowing. Her hands flew to her ears and she squeezed her eyes tight, body shaking, and she curled up in a ball. Shutting out the world she thought about her situation. When he was thrown, she had seen a lightning scar on his face, over his left eye. Laxus. She drew breaths in and out. She thought to the other Titans appearance. Muscular, a tuff of pink hair shooting out of his head. It looked like Natsu, and yet, it simply couldn't be. She's seen his eyes. When she looked into his eyes, usually warm, dark eyes, but not threatening. His eyes had always made her feel safe, and protected, as if no harm could ever come to her. But the Giants eyes, they were dark, empty, hollowed pits. She looked into them and felt cold, and terrified. Even more so then she'd ever been on that boat with the second master of Fairy Tail. The fear she'd felt was minor, minuscule, nothing, compared to the fear she felt the moment inside of his eyes. It chilled her bones, made her feel cold everywhere, and she felt as if she were drowning, in deep inky darkness, slippery, with no escape. 'Calm down Lucy, this won't help you,' she told herself. But still, she knew that somewhere in her, she'd hoped that Natsu was still in there, that he wasn't the cause for the destruction of the world, for the devastation that had wrecked the beautiful world she remembered, turning it to this..... This horrid, bloody reality.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good right!!!! It's called writing in the bus!!!!! And sconce this is almost over I'm thinking of writing a new crossover when I finish it, the Infernal Devices and Black Butler!!! I think it would be so good!!!! Reading TID right now I'm on Clockwork Princess!!!! Review!!!


	15. Darkness?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucy captured and apologies from me at the end

Gray thundered to a stop near Eren and Mikasa, Eren lying in the ground injured.   
"Where are Levi and Lucy?" he asked hurriedly. Mikasa looked to him frantically.   
"Lucy, she... She got taken by this Titan and then Eren got hurt and then Levi ran after her and oh I'm so worried Gray and so many people died and... Oh God." She choked down a sob. Her usual stoic face was distraught, and worried. She was breaking down, becoming a person so unlike the Mikasa everyone knew. Gray grabbed her arm.  
"Which way did they go?" Mikasa pointed with a shaking hand, the other one covering her mouth, quieting her worried break down. He took off, but skidded to a stop when he saw a glint of gold on the dirty overgrown ground, a discarded set of items that no one had yet to pay attention to. He knew Lucy would be needing them. His heels dug into the horses sides, and they took off again, with Lucy's key ring safely tucked away. He prayed to Mavis that he wouldn't be too late. 

'You are my sunshine,   
My only sunshine  
You make me happy when skies are grey.' It's kinda funny, how sometimes, a song or verse you haven't even thought about in years, can suddenly just pop into your head. Like, here she is, curled up in a tiny ball, scared to death and in mortal danger and yet that song popped into her head. That song, that her mom used to sing to her. That song, that now sounded eerie and horrible, and only brought torturous thou it's to mind now, instead of the happiness it was supposed to bring. She could only think of the darker parts of it. 'When skies are grey.' Right now, the skies seemed really grey and dim, but no hope, no light, no sunshine was shining down on her. She wasn't happy, not in the slightest. She was terrified, and alone, with Giants all around her, who might eat her any second. The world was cruel. Justice really did prevail. She wasn't strong enough, to fight on her own, and because of that she cause the death of billions. She deserved this fate. She did. She deserved torture and death. She didn't deserve any happiness. 'You'll never know dear, how much I love you, so please don't take my sunshine away.'

Natsu regarded Gajeel curiously. He was holding something in his palm. He was holding it delicately, gingerly, as if he didn't want to crush what was inside. Natsu growled, and ordered him to open up his hand. Gajeel sighed, but slowly, his fingers I curled from around the thing he was holding. The first thing he saw was rumpled blonde hair. Then, a green cloak, and a tiny body curled into a ball. He grinned.   
"So you finally fulfilled the task I gave you?" He chuckled. To humans, there methods of communication sounded like roaring. But, it really was a language.   
Gajeel rolled his eyes. Natsu roared with laughter at his old rivals complying actions. No one challenged him anymore. Laxus did occasionally, but he never had a chance. Natsu was the king of Titans. Nothing would change that. Not even a girl, one who he used to love.   
An eerie melody drifted up in his ears. It was soft, barely audible, but all the same, it was beautiful, and perfectly pitched.   
".... Never know dear, how much I love you, so please don't take my sunshine away.  
The other night dear, as I lay sleeping..."  
Lucy was rocking back and forth on Gajeel's cool palm, arms tucked tightly around her knees pulled to her chest. She was murmuring that old song, but in a way that was haunting and honestly made him nervous. She had her eyes shut tightly, and her head burrowed into her knees, making the sound muffled.   
Natsu sighed. "Put her down," he ordered. As Gajeel complied, he closed his dark eyes and conjured the magic inside him. He felt his body shrinking, contracting in on itself, as he grew smaller and smaller. Clothes from his guild days lay themselves upon his body. He opened his eyes, and grinned. "Lucy."

When Lucy opened her eyes, she found herself staring into the eyes of the boy she loved. The same hair, size, clothes, everything. Except for the evil smile that twisted his features horribly, and the golden crown that fit into the folds of his soft pink hair. And his eyes, the eyes that revealed the depths of Tartarus. She shuddered inwardly. He said her name, practically cooing it. She tremored with fear.  
"What do you want Natsu?" She looked up at his tall form. "Why was I brought here. Captured against my will?"   
He chuckled lightly, but in a way that sent fear bolting down her spine, expanding through her body.   
"Against you will? Lucy, I thought you loved me. I brought you here, to be home, with me, and your family. Isn't that what you always wanted?"   
She stood up, and glared daggers at him. She pushed past him, and hues tired with her hands as she spoke. "This, this isn't home. This is evil. This is hell. Natsu, this place doesn't make me feel happy. You no longer make me feel joy. You changed. You're no longer that amazing and kind boy that only cared for his nakama. You're not the guy I love. That one disappeared when you made the Titans, and killed billions of people."   
Natsu stormed up to her, and forced her eyes to his. "Nakama? That the reason why this happened. Why I'm doing this. For my nakama. I saved them Lucy. I made them immortal. Saved them from the dark behind death. Made a home for us, where no one can break us apart. I am the same Natsu." He growled deeply. She looked away, anywhere but his evil eyes. "Join me Lucy. Be my queen. You will no longer be bothered or tortures by that evil Midnight, nor by those pathetic humans. I promise you will be happy forever."   
"Evil Midnight... Natsu he's turned into a better man than you will ever be. And-" she was cut off by A warm pressure meeting her lips. She struggled at first, but as memories flowed through her, she melted into the kiss. She felt her body go weak, and Natsu broke away, holding her steady.   
"I told you I'm the same Natsu." She looked at him. "Join me, Lucy, join me and we can be happy together. Please."   
And oh how she wished she could. She wanted to so desperately, her heart and mind were in an eternal battle. But she couldn't. It shattered her into a billion pieces in doing so, but she couldn't help it. She had to deny. But she learned something. Natsu was still there, inside. She just needed to wash away the darkness inside his heart.   
She backed away, shaking her head slowly. "Natsu, you need to join me. I love you. But forget this madness, just come back to me..." She trailed off. His expression had darkened. He looked so broken. A Titan picked her up and placed her in a giant bird cage hanging by the throne.   
"I didn't want to do this Lucy, but you left me no choice. I'm sorry."   
......you make me happy, when skies are grey?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH MY GOD IM SO SORRY!!!! I just had writers block and was just lazy and I'm an idiot ok??? Forgive me because it's almost done I'll update tomorrow promise!!!


	16. Saving You

Gray caught up with Levi when he found him hiding behind a tree. He was crouched down low, hood pulled up, hidden in the night. No stars lit the way tonight. It was good, because any light would give them away.   
"We need to attack them tonight. Hanji has done experiments that have provided us with the information that Titans need sunlight to survive. Therefore they're weakest at night. I've never once been attacked at night, in all my time doing this. 

"I've surveyed the area. They have two titans on guard, and about twenty of them are sleeping. The giant one in the throne over there is probably Natsu, he's the king. Lucy is in the cage hanging on his chair. Although I'm surprised she isn't burned yet. I have a plan- can you fight?"  
Gray grinned. He felt a cool sensation envelope over his forearms as he created to blades like the ones he'd used against Ultear, without blood this time.   
Levi nodded. "At least one of us can use magic. I'll take out the two titans that are awake. Watch my back. You know their weak spot is the nape of their neck?" Gray nodded. "Take out their Achilles heel and slice, if you come across the situation. After I get the guards, get to Lucy as fast as possible. We don't need to kill them all yet, we'll come back with reinforcements later. Now that we know where their nest is, we can take them out from their source."   
"If we defeat Natsu, all the Titans will be gone." Gray interjected.   
"Let's remember that later." Levi had a smile on his face. One that showed the ghost of Midnight, and Gray was struck by fear, glad that this time, he wasn't the enemy. Levi took out his blades, still facing Gray. "I'll go in three, two-"   
"Or you could listen to my idea instead." A voice from distant memory, one that made images of Gray's past flood across his vision. Images of duels, kidnappings, music, friendship. "Geehi." 

Lucy rocked back and forth, calculating an escape route. She looked around, forcing her eyes to penetrate the darkness. Her eye were drawn to a tree on the outskirts of her vision. It would make a good hiding place, she realized. There were very few trees in the area, and this one was rather large. She smirked when she saw two shadows blink into view from behind it, and then back again. Ha. Natsu was in for a surprise. Once Levi got her free, and he would get her free, she would stop Natsu, once and for all.

"Look, I didn't know Natsu was going to do that okay? I accepted the task because one, I thought that Natsu was turning good. I hoped that Lucy would knock some sense into him. I was so wrong. And two, no one, and I mean NO ONE, refuses a task from the salamander these days. He's insane. No one picks a fight with him. He in raw strength, he out-powers us all a million times over. And then he still has magic. Loads more than me. Very few of us have magic at all, yet Natsu became three times more powerful." Gajeel took a breath. "I'm so sorry Gray." He looked the same as he always used to. Messy long black hair. Piercings on every inch of his body. The red eyes, and the grin. It was as if he came straight from Gray's memory. But he hadn't. And two hundred years had passed. Gray looked at him.   
"Why should we even trust that you won't turn us into your King?" Gajeel looked down, biting his lip.  
"I never wanted any of this. I know I always acted like an ass, and I guess I was one, but I actually did care for that guild Gray. Look, all I want is to see Levy one more time. I'm done with the killing, with following orders, with everything. I truly did love her Gray, I hope you believe me. So please, just trust me on this okay?"

"I can't believe we agreed to this!!" Levi hissed. They were hidden inside of Gajeel's now giant palm. He was sneaking them to the cage and planning on distracting the guards when they took off running. He'd het them in, and out. That was the deal. Although Gajeel didn't get much out of it, other than them promising to return and defeat Natsu. The flame brained bastard. Gajeel opened his hand. "Let's go."

Lucy gaped in shock as Gajeel dropped of Levi and Gray and her cage door. Gajeel looked around nervously as Gray froze the lock until in clacked, signaling the break. The cage door was opened, Gray grinned, handing her her keys. "Thought you might be needing these," He whispered. She smiled up at him.   
"Hurry up," Levi ordered. He was standing guard, weapons out and ready to fight.   
Lucy mouthed a thank you at Gray as they all climbed back into Gajeel's open palm. The plan had gone without a hitch. Until Natsu stirred. 

He opened his eyes, saw the empty cage door, and Gajeel creeping away. And he roared. A terrifying, anger filled scream that made the ground shudder. He woke up every last Titan, made each one scramble to their feet. And then there was a deafening silence. It went for the count of one. Two, three, four... Nothing moved no one made a sound. Five.   
A battle cry filled the air, and everything launched into action. Titans lunged at Gajeel, Levi sprang into the air, twisting and spinning. Gray leaped from titan to titan, slicing their necks with his icy blades. For a minute, Lucy was paralyzed. She watched as Gajeel struggled against the Giants clawing at his skin. She watched bodies crumble from the boys work. And then her mind caught up with time.   
She flew to the ground, and took off running, towards Natsu. A spell was in her head. One she had demanded from Loke, and one that Juvia hadn't wanted her to learn of. She dodged the boiling blood and bodies that fell to the ground as the Titans died, but remained on her path to the one she loved. The one she excepted. The one she forgave. Fear ground and burrowed itself in her stomach, but she dismissed it. She was ready. She was prepared to sacrifice it all in that same way that Natsu had always den for her. This spell would take the darkness from his heart, make him human and every other titan would stop. He deserved that much.  
She closed the distance between herself and the throne in which he sat, observing the battle angrily. Twenty feet. Ten. Five.... None.

Gray looked back to check on Lucy, but she was no longer in Gajeel's hand. He searched all around and found her running towards Natsu. She had a determined and mournful look in her face. No. No. NO!!! He sliced through the Titan, screaming her name. Lunging for her. Only to have another beast block his way. No. His little sister couldn't die yet. 

Lucy looked up at Natsu. "Hey Natsu!" She screamed. He looked down, straight at her. She shuddered as terror shot through her, but forced herself to meet his eyes. To pedometer the spell, you must have eye contact.   
Everything seemed to fade around them. It was just her and Natsu, like old times. She let the old memories flow through her, as a golden light enveloped the two of them. Gray's voice screaming her name, the wails of dying Titans, everything was silent as time slowed down. She started to chant the spell, and let the love in her heart take over.

Gray finally had cleared the path. He raced towards Lucy, leaving humanities strongest soldier to fight alone. She was chanting faster and faster reaching the end. He sprinted towards the golden light, jumping over the bodies that blocked his path, sliding on the dissipating blood that was spilled. He scrambled, hand outstretched he couldn't lose her. Not now.

".....I forgive thee, I love thee, I offer a soul do a soul, a chance for a chance, a life for a life, wipe the darkness from his heart from his mind, and bring him back to what he once was, of purity and of light. I offer myself in sacrifice. Save thee, save thee, save thee."   
Lucy gasped from the strain on her magic as it erupted to Natsu. And felt so weak. So very, very, weak. She saw Natsu shrink, she heard Gray screaming her name, and saw the one in front of her scramble forward as her vision blurred. She wavered on her feet, and felt the ground come rucking towards her. Two gentle hands wrapped themselves around her, cradling her lower back and neck, catching her before she hit the ground.   
She stared into beautiful brown eyes, the ones she feel in love with, the ones full of caring, concern, love. She felt the life draining out of her as she stared up into those beautiful deep eyes, now filled with tears. A wet, thick, sticky substance worked its way up her throat and she coughed, red spilling over her lips. A painful sob was heard from the one above her, as he cried for all the things he'd done.   
"Oh Mavis Lucy, I'm so sorry, I'm so so sorry. I'll fix you, I promise, we'll get you healed, you're gonna be fine, I promise, I-" he sobbed again, breaking off his rant.  
Lucy reached up a cold hand, and gently brushed against his tearstreaked cheek, tracing her cold fingers along it, eventually cradling the side of his face with her pale, slim fingers.   
"Hey, shhhh. It's okay, I forgive you," she soothed.   
"No, no Lucy we'll fix you, you're gonna be okay, just hold on..." But she was shaking her head slowly.  
"You can't fix me Natsu." He let out a heart wrenching throb. "It's okay, shh I love you, she I forgive you it'll be okay..." She trailed off, as blood gurgled in her throat. "Shhhhhh I love you, shhhhh...." Her vision was fading. He bent down and kissed her gently, one last time.   
"Don't leave me Lucy! Lucy please!!!" Her breathing slowed and then-  
Darkness.   
""LUCY!!!!!"


	17. Epilogue

"Happiness is simple. It's plain. It's a smile. A laugh. But it makes up everything we live for. We want happiness. We wish and we mourn for it. But sometimes, happiness doesn't just happen. There are people out there, who give us evil, who try to take away that happiness,   
who want it for themselves. But there are also those who give us happiness. They are full of light and joy and want everyone to feel the same. Everything they live for, every action, every moment, is full of life. Lucy Heartfilia was one of those people. She was a ray of sunshine in the dark world...." Ironic, how the sun was shining at her memorial service. They were going to do it inside the wall, but Gray had refused. He proposed they honour her memory somewhere she wouldn't be forgotten. Where she was remembered and she was loved. The guild.   
It wasn't far outside Wall Maria, in actuality Natsu had practically built his domain around it. So they went. There was no body to bury, no special ceremony to preform. She had disappeared in a golden dust, like all Celestial Wizards do when they die. They join the spirits, says Levy. Ancient literature talks all about it. She should be happy there, with all her friends surrounding her.   
But Natsu had asked for something, as he was tried. And Laxus, had agreed. He had insisted, actually.   
"All I want is to see Lucy leave Fairy Tail properly," Natsu had said. "Do what you want with me, torture me, I deserve it. But just see her off in the right way."   
The idiot. The stupid flame brain was so idiotic, and loving and caring. But they granted his wish. They hiked to the guild hall, which looked exactly the same as they had left it. A table or two overturned, a mess made from a previous fight. A dust had gathered around, but other than that, it looked like the guild members would walk through the door at any moment, at any time. How he wished they would. He wished they were here. He wished was here. But she wasn't. Two hundred years had passed and he of all people was given a second chance at life. Gray Fullbuster the ice Mage. Hero. Stripper. Friend. But he couldn't stop her from giving up her life to save his best friends.   
And now Midnight, or Levi or whatever he wanted to be called, had stood up and spoke. He was so full of emotion, unlike what he had always been. He was breaking from the inside out, and it was Gray's fault.   
"....I've known Lucy Heartfilia for a long time. She was the most loving, caring, and amazing person I've ever met. She was light, she was golden. There are very few people like her in the world. Ones who are selfless and forgiving. Who don't care about power or money, who only want love, and friendship. She was forgiving. I did some bad things. Some really really really bad things," Levi blinked back the tears welling up in his eyes, his hand crumpling the paper in his hands.  
"But she forgave my sins." His voice cracked. "Lucy Heartfilia didn't deserve to die. She gave up her life in order to save ours. And we should honor that. Because of her, we can rebuild our lives, because there's no more Titans. Not anymore. And never again. Say what you want about me, about the Survey Corps. But remember, always remember what Lucy did to save us. Never forget her. She'll be in our memories forever. And she'll live. She touched our lives forever, and I will never ever forget that."  
He walked down, to sit down on the bench of an old table, where all of Lucy's closest new friends sat. Eren, healed, green eyes mournful, but full of life, put a hand on his arm, murmured comforting words to him, as Levi stared at the floor, void of emotion. Gray looked at Natsu, sitting across from him. His eyes downcast, fists clenched. Natsu being Natsu, still blamed himself, even after these weeks of reassurances from everyone, after being determined not guilty by the jury. Natsu was the one who thought family came first. He was the basis of Fairy Tail's beliefs. Do everything you can to make your family survive.  
And he thought he'd failed. Even when Lucy had done what she did on the basis of that idea. He was the one who'd given her the canvas, they all were, and she painted the painting. No one had expected Lucy to have the power to complete that spell, yet she did. No one thought that she would do such great feats, when they first met her, but she did. Lucy went above and beyond for her family. She achieved the impossible. And Gray would always remember.  
Her smile, her laugh. Her joy and courage that lite up even the darkest of rooms. Her tears, her sorrow. Her way of pushing through hardship, and keeping a smile on her face. Her father who ignored her, her mom who died, her past was awful. But she kept smiling. She never gave up hope, even in the darkest of times.  
Laxus stood, and walked up to the front, underneath the stairs. It was time. Time for her to leave Fairy Tail. Time for her to release the chains holding her. Time for her to join her family, up in the golden light of Heaven. In Heaven where there was a party waiting for her. A party with her mom, her dad, Erza and Jellal and Wendy and Carla. And the Master, and Mira and Elfman, and Lisanna, and everyone who had ever loved her and been her family. Her friends. Everyone who excepted her, who loved her.  
And Gray and Natsu and everyone would join them, someday- after rebuilding the world. After living the lives she'd given hers to create. They needed to be happy, that's what she wanted. They needed to live, and laugh, and feel the sunshine and see the ocean. Use their magic, their oh so beautiful magic.   
And Natsu knew that. He knew he had to move on, to live his life in her honor. He knew he would join her when it was time, when he was ready. There was no need for Gray to worry, because Natsu wouldn't think of joining her early after all she did to save him, to grant him more time.   
And so he would move on. They all would. They wouldn't forget her, never. But they wouldn't mourn her loss. They would celebrate the lives she gifted to them, the second chances. And live in the light.  
Laxus raised his arms, tears in his eyes. He took Makarov's place as master. He was the new Master of Fairy Tail. He sniffed, and then started.  
"Lucy Heartfilia, in order to leave Fairy Tail you must promise to do three things: One. You must never reveal sensitive information about Fairy Tail to others. Two. You must never have unauthorised contact with past clients or profit personally from them! Three. Even if we walk different paths, one must always live on as strong as you are able. Never treat yourself as insignificant." Laxus paused, tears welling up in his eyes. "You must never forget the friends you made, or the sacrifices you made for each other. Always remember the way we lived, and loved!"   
A golden light filled the guild, soft and warm. In front of Laxus, a pink guild mark glowed. A tinkling laugh filled the air, and Lucy, glowing, floating, flying, shining like a billion golden stars, flipped and spun around the guild. She glided over behind Natsu, wrapping her arms around his neck, hugging him from behind. She was translucent, she was beautiful. She was a fairy, a fairy of Fairy Tail. Her lips found his ear, and whispered into it.   
With another chiming laugh, she soared, up and up, through a window and into the bluebird sky.   
"Goodbye, Fairy Tail. Goodbye my friends."  
The glow faded, slowly dying down. They were all looking up. Up, into the sunshine, into the beautiful sky, releasing their anguish.   
And suddenly, the silence was broken. With a laugh. A laugh, which slipped it's way through a male, a male with hair the same pale colour as a Sakura trees petals. Soon, the laughter spread, from Natsu, to Gray, to Gajeel, to Laxus. Soon the whole building was filled with laughter. Laughter, that was sweet, and unchained. Pure, replenished joy filled the air as the sun filtered its was through the old windows, brightening the guild. Real, true happiness was accomplished at last, after two hundred years of fighting for it.   
Goodbye, Lucy Heartfilia of Fairy Tail. And thank you, for your life after.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The End!!!! Thank you for all the kudos and everything, and for sticking with me through it all. I've been writing this for about six months. So thank you for reading. Comment/Kudos!!! Tell me what you thought Please!!!! ^/.\^


End file.
